After Liao Yujie left happily, Zhu Jingsu came over to talk to Qin Hanshu.

Zhu Jingsu had no words to say to anyone else, including Zhao Chunmiao. They had finished their meal long ago and were watching TV with their children.

"Who was it that just came to you?"

Qin Hanshu replied, "Her name is Liao Yujie. She was also a sent-down youth. She got married and stayed in Haowan Village."

Zhu Jingsu asked casually and quickly changed the subject, "Your second brother is not convenient to come back today, so I told you that he will take the children to the county in a few days and he will welcome you well."

There are many relatives present today, and if Zhou Weili showed up it would be too high-profile.

Qin Hanshu smiled and shook his head, "I understand, don't take it to heart, second brother."

The two talked for a while, and Zhou Ruilan also came over.

Qin Hanshu took the opportunity to ask her to mention the sick leave note.

When Zhu Jingsu heard that Zhou Ruilan was going to Jiangcheng to relax, he also agreed and promised to get her a leave note.

The party lasted for a long time that night, and after the party, everyone was reluctant to leave. Despite the biting cold wind, they watched TV in Zhou's yard.

After the news broadcast, two episodes of a TV series were broadcast. They were emotional dramas, and it is no exaggeration to say that everyone was fascinated by them.

Finally, snowflakes started falling on TV, but people were still reluctant to leave, which prompted Zhao Chunmiao to start chasing them away.

Zhao Chunmiao carried the TV back to the house like a treasure and complained, "I'm sleepy... I have to lock up this TV from now on, otherwise it will want to live in our house. How can we live like this?"

Zhou Changan disagreed, "You are capable of doing this! And you locked it up. Just wait for others to say you are stingy behind your back."

"It's my stuff, I can do whatever I want with it, no one can interfere!" Zhao Chunmiao said disdainfully, "Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? You just like others to curry favor with you, to say nice things to you, and to flatter you. As long as they praise you a few times, you'll be forced to eat the TV, not to mention watching it!"

Zhou Changan walked into the house with his hands behind his back, "I'm too lazy to talk to you."

The helpers who were organizing the banquet helped to clean up the yard and the kitchen. When everything was ready, it was almost eleven o'clock.

Zhou Xi and Zhou Sheng both closed their eyes when washing their faces and feet, feeling very sleepy.

The house that Zhou Weiguang's family built for him to marry had never been lived in by the couple, nor had anyone else lived in it. However, over the years, a lot of miscellaneous items had accumulated in it.

Zhao Chunmiao tidied up the place, changed the bedding and mattress, and Qin Hanshu slept with the two children.

Just as I was about to go to bed, Zhou Ruilan brought Yang Le over.

"This child is so noisy that he insists on sleeping with his third aunt." Zhou Ruilan was helpless and a little angry. Yang Le was usually very well-behaved, but tonight he had to whine and throw a tantrum.

Yang Le was already scared when he saw his mother was angry, and whispered: "Mom, don't be angry, I won't sleep with my third aunt..."

Zhou Ruilan groaned and frowned, "You are really good at making trouble. I brought you here..."

Seeing this, Qin Hanshu quickly waved to Yang Le, "Come here, sleep with me tonight."

As he said this, he drove Zhou Xie away and asked him to go to Zhou Changan and Zhao Chunmiao's room, where the kang was big enough for everyone to sleep on.

Zhou Qi was fine, but Zhou Sheng bared his teeth and yelled, "I don't want to sleep with a girl!"

Qin Hanshu glanced at him and said, "I'm a girl too, so you should go to grandpa and grandma's room too."

Zhou Sheng refused to do it again, hugged Qin Hanshu and said coquettishly: "No, I want to sleep next to my mother, it smells so good~"

Qin Hanshu rubbed his goose bumps, ignored him, and helped Yang Le take off his coat.

***

There were still a few days before the Chinese New Year, and Qin Hanshu took Zhou Xie and Zhou Sheng for a walk around the village.

There is no one left in the dormitory for educated youth, and several cave dwellings are abandoned.

Qin Hanshu walked into the cave where he lived and took a look around. He felt as if he was in another world.

The small vegetable garden outside is gone, but the paulownia trees are growing well.

Qin Hanshu sighed to his sons, "This is where Mom lived when she joined the production team."

Zhou Sheng asked: "What is queue-jumping?"

Qin Hanshu said: "That's right, the educated youth from the city come to the countryside to farm."

Zhou Sheng said: "I want to farm too, Mom. I won't leave after the New Year. I will farm in the countryside with my grandparents."

Qin Hanshu snorted and laughed, not taking what he said seriously.

Zhou Qi pulled his cotton-padded jacket closer and shivered, "It's so cold, let's go back and warm ourselves by the fire."

Qin Hanshu: "...Your physical condition is really poor. You should exercise more."

Zhou Sheng: "I'm not going back. I want to play outside."

Zhou Xi said: "Then I will go back first, you guys can have fun."

After saying that, he really left.

Qin Hanshu didn't stop her, so Zhou Sheng was left alone to follow her around.

As I was walking, I passed by Niu Quangen's house and happened to see Niu Quangen coming out of the cave.

Qin Hanshu greeted him.

Niu Quangen said happily: "It's been so many years since we last met, and you're still the same as before. How is Weiguang? He didn't even mention coming back to visit."

Qin Hanshu said a few polite words, "Wei Guang is busy, his job is special."

Niu Quangen nodded, "Yes."

As he spoke, Niu Quangen shouted into the cave, and a little girl came out. "This is Zhao Rusheng, her name is Qianqian. Qianqian, call me auntie."

Qianqian was very shy. She hid behind her father, only showing her eyes to look at people, and didn't say a word.

Niu Quangen said helplessly: "This child is very afraid of giving birth."

Then, Niu Quangen wanted to call Zhao Ru out again, but there was no response from inside after he shouted for a long time.

Seeing this, Qin Hanshu tactfully did not stay any longer and left.

After Qin Hanshu left, Niu Quangen entered the cave and complained, "You were all educated youth back then, so what's wrong with going out to say hello?"

Zhao Ru glared at him and said, "Yes, we are all educated youth. How are they living now? How am I supposed to go out and say hello?"

Niu Quangen stopped talking.

He has tried his best to give Zhao Ru a good life, but even though he has the ability, he cannot give her the kind of life that Qin Hanshu has.

Zhao Ru had complained a lot over the years, and Niu Quangen understood that it was unfair for a young girl from the city to marry a bachelor with a child like him.

Niu Quangen's silence made Zhao Ru even more angry.

The most fearful thing in life is comparison.

Qin Hanshu's trip back home to visit relatives made Zhao Ru depressed.

Even some thoughts that had been extinguished in my mind for a long time seemed to be resurfacing.

***

On New Year's Eve, Zhu Jingsu took them to the city to celebrate the New Year.

It was the first time Zhou Weili met his two nephews, and he gave each of them a big red envelope.

Just when we were about to have the New Year’s Eve dinner, Yang Guangyu came to our house.